The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-03-24
WITH THE COSSACKS.
A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN A
SKlRMISH WITH THE TURKS.

SKtRMlSH With The TURKS.
The ExhilaratiOn of Riding in Charge.
Horses as Well as Men Feel q Unique
Stimulus-An Impressive Devotional
Finale.
About the middle Of autumn we made
a reconnaissance in the direction OF Ras-
grad, to endeaVor 10 discover the strength
of the enemy there. Three regiments Of
Cossacks made up the force, and we
marched all day and part Of the night be-
fore we came in the vicinity of the enemy.
On the morning of the second day it was
reported that a considerable detachment
of Turkish irregulars was encamped
short distance in front of US. We had
been moving during the night with as
little noise as possible, and had bivouacked
i'll the rain without building a fire, in
order to give no notice of our approach to
the enemy's pickets. It was only just
daybreak when the orders to march were
given, and the column proceeded cautious
~ with few scouts in advance.
In half hour or SO we who were riding
little ahead of the column could see the
characteristic conical Turkish tents as
sembled in a little valley a short distance
beyond. At the same instance our scouts
engaged the enemy's pickets, and the
column halted. The camp in sight was
evidently only q large outpost, and the
general Immediately gave orders for one
- regiment to form and charge through the
camp. We could see the mon of the dcs-
ignated regiment uncover and cross them
selves, and in moment the head of the
detachment was rapidly moving past US.
Among the officers rode the major, my
old friend of the Dobrudscha, who, IN
known to me- had been promoted to q
Oh Co.,
another regiment AS he dashed past he
made gesture of. recognition and waved
his hand for me to follow.
RIDING IN A CHARGE.
believe it was more the horses fault
than my own, for certainly [ never had a
deliberate intention of riding in charge
if l could help, but before knew it I was
at the majors side. OFF we went at a
trOt, changing our formation to regi-
mental front Then, in an irregular line,
much broken by the inequalities of the
ground, we swept down the slope at a
gallOp. There was some firing, and few
COSsacks fell, but / doubt if anybody
heard Il shot. The thunder of the hoOfs,
the shaking of the grain bags, the rafting
of the cooking utensils and the resound-
ing whacks of the nagajkaS filed the air
with a multitude Of noises which drowned
all other sounds The exhilaration of the
men felt its unique stimulus, and we
rushed through that camp, sweeping it
away as the sudden clOudburSt in the
Rockies tears out the bed of the arroyo.
1t was one of those rare moments of life |
when all sense of individuality is merged
IN that utterly overwhelming feeling Of
eXaltatiOn, in that intoXicatiOn Of magnet |
Ism which often possesses large masses of
men moved by some grand and stimuli |
TanpOnS +
all, very trivial affair from a military |
point of view, but the sensation expert |
enced was by no means insignificant or |
nosilv f ten.
the Turkish force took to fight |
ume and escaped; those who remained |
TO defend their camp were sabred, spitted |
ike fowl on the Iances or captured and led |
back to the main column at the end of a |
iariat. The finale Of this little incident |
was fully as impressive as the charge it
self, although in quite another way.
Alter we made camp that night the men I
OF the regiment which had engaged the |
enemy were drawn up in line with unCov
cred heads and sang q religious hymn in
chorus. How different now were those !
faces which few hours before had been
distorted with the cruel expressions of |
hatred of the infidel or glorified by the
excitement of the charge or with the
consciousness of victory. Uniforms apart,
the men looked like a rank of devout
peaceful farmers, bronzed by the sun in
the fields and begrimed with the dust of
agr culture. The hymn rolled forth in
quaint, sad cadences, tuned to a minor
Key, like most of the native melodies.
Al lg the ranks q gap purposely left here
ant there showed where a comrade had
sto.d the day before Although l could
hot catch word they sang, the signifi-
carce Of the hymn could not be mistaken.
Many rough hands brushed fearful eyes
De1Sre the last mournful note died away, |
anu the regiment then dispersed about the
camp with quiet step, as if the least
nose were an insult to the dead.-F. d.
Millett in Harper's.